Various types of novelty structures which move with either no apparent support, drive mechanism, or power input are often used as toys, decorative conversation pieces or advertising media. Various embodiments of such structures have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,444 Akrongold, U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,899 Patterson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,086 Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,086 Huang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,868 McDarren et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,789 Li-Hsiung, Japanese Patents Nos. 10137451, 101431101, and 10171383, all by Hirose Mamoru, Japanese Patents Nos. 7210081, 7219426, and 7239652 all to Takagi Hiroshi and German Patents Nos. DE19706736 Fushoellier, DE3725723 Steinbrinck, and DE 41377175 Lang. The prior art embodiments generally include structural elements and operational modes that make it clear to a casual observer that the moving bodies of prior art displays simply move relative to a container substantially surrounding the body, or move relative to an object in contact with the body by means of a bearing.
The countertorque-producing mechanisms and their supports are very evident to an observer, and do not create any interest or appreciation of ambient energy fields.
The present invention results from an attempt to devise an intriguing and educational structure that includes elements that appear to be moving on their own, while in contact with other relatively stationary objects, in spite of common sense ideas about friction.